different between ordeal vs arduous

English

Etymology

From Middle English ordel, ordal, from Medieval Latin ord?lium or its source Old English ord?l, ord?l (“ordeal, judgement”), from Proto-West Germanic *u?dail? (“judgement”, literally “an out-dealing”), from *u?dailijan (“to deal out; dispense”), equivalent to or- +? deal.

Cognate with Saterland Frisian Uurdeel (“judgement; verdict”), West Frisian oardiel (“judgement”), Dutch oordeel (“judgement, discretion”), Low German Oordeel (“judgement; verdict”), German Urteil (“judgement, verdict”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /???di?l/
• (US, Canada) IPA^(key): /???dil/
• Hyphenation: or?deal
• Rhymes: -i?l

Noun

ordeal (plural ordeals)

1. A painful or trying experience.
2. A trial in which the accused was subjected to a dangerous test (such as ducking in water), divine authority deciding the guilt of the accused.
3. The poisonous ordeal bean or Calabar bean

Translations

See also

• trial by fire

Anagrams

• Laredo, Loader, Rodela, loader, reload

English

Etymology

From Latin arduus (“lofty, high, steep, hard to reach, difficult, laborious”), akin to Irish ard (“high”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /???dju??s/, /???d??u??s/
• (US) IPA^(key): /????d??u?s/

Adjective

arduous (comparative more arduous, superlative most arduous)

1. Needing or using up much energy; testing powers of endurance.
   • For more quotations using this term, see Citations:arduous.
2. (obsolete) burning; ardent
   • 1805-1814, Dante, Henry Francis Cary (translator), The Divine Comedy

3. Difficult or exhausting to traverse.
   • 1999, Scott Ciencin, Mike Fredericks, Dinoverse:

     Mike looked up from the arduous mountain trail. They'd been climbing for five hours and he was beginning to feel irritable.

   • For more quotations using this term, see Citations:arduous.

Synonyms

• burdensome, demanding, exhausting, fatiguing, laborious, onerous, strenuous, strugglesome, wearisome

Derived terms

• arduousness

Related terms

• arduity

Translations

Further reading

• arduous in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• arduous in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• arduous at OneLook Dictionary Search